Kids will be Kids
by Seftimiu
Summary: Prompt/Challenge: One of the Rogue's is de-aged I couldn't choooose just one. So I did most of them! Hint of Len/Mick slash.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Kids will be kids Author: Seftimiu aka Brain Freeze Rating: PG Warning: kidfic Pairing/Characters: Hint of Len/Mick, and lots of rogues.  
Prompt/Challenge: One of the Rogue's is de-aged I couldn't just choose one! So I did a lot!

"Okay, who came up with this bright idea?" Weather Wizard asked, trying to capture the so called 'intruder'.

"I have no idea, but catch him before he gets into-- Too late." Captain Cold took a deep breath and tried to grab the books before they could fall to the floor.

"I think I got him! No. No I don't." Heat Wave corrected himself as the pint sized 'tornado' ducked under his hands and dived under the table.

"He's just a kid. How can one kid cause so much trouble?" Mark called out, as he looked under the table. "Come on, come here. We won't hurt you. We just want to talk to you." He told the kid, holding out his hands for him to come to him.

The kid took one look at him and blew a raspberry at him before taking off under the other side.

"Why you little..." Mark gaped and then tried to follow, banging his head as he stood up without realizing he was still too close to the edge of the table.

"You know, if we can't even defeat a kid? It's realllllly no wonder we've never really gotten anywhere in the business." Captain Cold sighed deeply, running around the worn out couch, trying to head the child off.

"Speak for yourself, Cold." Heat Wave said grimly. "This kid isn't normal!"

The child shrieked, and then flipped into the air as he jumped off the couch using it for a trampoline. He ended up on the other side, opposite of Cold and then ran off again.

"Whoa! Now that was a move. I'd think he was too small for that kind of thing!" Mark admitted, trying to block the stairs in case the kid came that way.

"FESSO!" The child yelled at them, and then did a hand gesture that was a bit familiar, even to them.

"Fesso? What the hell is Fesso?" Mick asked as he and Cold tried to herd the child into a corner.

"No idea. Hey, kid. You speak English?" Len asked.

"Figlio di puttana!" The child spat at them, his back to the corner, glaring at them.

"I'm going to take that, as a no." Len snorted in wry amusement. "Now, we're not going to hurt you." He repeated what Wizard had tried to tell him.

"He doesn't understand." Mick pointed out. "If he doesn't speak English, telling him in English isn't going to help!"

"No, but sometimes? It is all in the tone." Len said in what he hoped sounded like a soothing tone.

He held out his hands, and slowly approached.

The child promptly kicked him in the shin and dived to the side, rolling in a somersault and heading to the door.

"Stop him!" Cold tried to hop after him.

The kid grabbed the door handle in both hands and tugged at it. "Merda! Santo cuzza!" The child whined at the door, trying to get it open.

"Did he just call for Santa?" Mark half-asked as he tried to close in on the kid from one side. Mick on the other.

"Santo. Not Santa." Mick corrected. "I think the kid is cussing. I think he's speaking Italian or something."

"Italiano!" The child screeched, latching on to the word. "Si!" But he still wasn't going to give them the opportunity to grab him. He screamed an ear-piercing shriek and flailed as Mick nearly had him in his arms. One foot caught a precious area of his anatomy and he went down, letting go of the child.

"We just want to help you!" Len limped after the boy, while Mark was starting to back off a little. He was so far the only one not injured. He wanted to keep it that way!

"? pazzo!" The boy's voice shook as he tried to get to a window, but then realized it was boarded up.

Len held up his hands. "We're scaring him."

"I think we kind of figured that." Mark snorted with a half smile. "What with the yelling and trying to run away?"

Len pushed his hood down, and then slowly removed his visor. Unzipping the parka, he threw it toward the couch and then pointedly took off his cold-gun and went to the cabinet. Putting it inside and shutting the door. He put his hands up, and turned in a circle. "Not wanting to hurt you." He said in a very soft tone.

Mick nodded, catching on. He took the top of his costume off, and did the same with his heat-gun, holding up his hands. Mark removed his mask, and tucked his wand away. He put his hands on his head, and turned around.

"We're unarmed." Len said slowly.

The little boy huddled near the boarded up window, watching them, fearfully.

He pointed to himself, and said. "Len." Then he pointed at Mick. "Mick." And then, pointed at Mark. "Mark."

"Len. Mick. Mark." He said it again.

Then Cold pointed at the little boy and raised his brows and held his hands up while shrugging. A question.

"Giovanni?" The boy answered quietly, his voice going up in a question at the end. "Giovanni Giuseppe."

"Oh. My. God." Mick breathed. "It can't be."

"Stranger things have happened." Mark pointed out.

"But... he's dead. He can't be a... a... kid." Len shook his head.

"Giovanni Giuseppe." Mick repeated slowly. Then he, after a second of consideration, started to make the sound of carnival music. Thunder and Blazes, the Clowns polka.

The little boy made a pouty face and then stuck out his tongue and corrected him by humming The Man on the Flying Trapeze.

"He's right." Mark told him. "He was an acrobat, not a clown."

"What the hell do we do with a kid?" Mick asked, staring down at the little boy who was still terrified of them, but was no longer screaming.

Len and Mark looked at each other and then Mick before saying at the exact same time. "Call Piper!"

--

It seemed like a good idea at the time. And after a few minutes, Len decided it was probably a good idea regardless. Because leaving him alone there, was not a good idea. Talk about child endangerment?

The little redheaded boy was standing in front of them, his mouth wide open as he screamed loudly. He'd been screaming non-stop for the last three minutes.

"Okay. Well... why is he... um. He didn't die!" Mark pointed out, helpfully, while he held on to little Giovanni's hand.

"No, but I might if he doesn't knock that racket off!" Mick held his head and rubbed his temples.

Len held out his hands. "Shhhh shhhh shhh, Hartley? Hartley! Stop it!"

The kid did not seem to be ready to stop any time soon. In fact, he took another breath of air and let out another long shriek.

"It's okay! Hartley stop SCREAMING!" Len yelled over him.

But the boy just continued, as though he didn't... hear... him.

"How old was he when he had the implants put in?" Len yelled to Mick, trying to be heard over the minified Piper.

"I don't know!" He confessed. "But I think he was around two or three when they figured out he was actually deaf. They hadn't paid too much attention, I guess? I don't know. I didn't pay attention MYSELF! And then, then it took a while to find someone that could fix it. The technology wasn't as good back then, and he had to take other channels..."

Mark called out over the yelling by saying. "It could also be that whatever did this, simply removed the inorganic parts!"

Giovanni let go of his hand and moved toward Hartley, grabbing his face in his hands. "Stai zitto!" The child yelled and then put his hand over his mouth, blocking the sound. "Shhhh stai zitto!" He repeated.

Hartley promptly started crying and Giovanni gave him a boggled look.

Frowning, the blond boy looked back at the adults, and then at Hartley. "Cosa c'猫?"

Hartley didn't understand, which was understandable since the adults didn't either. So he just sat hard on his bottom and cried more. Giovanni knelt beside him and tugged his sleeve. Then he held out his hand, showing 'nothing in his hand' and then... pulled a coin out of his ear. Hartley sniffed, looking at the other boy, confused. But then turned his hand over to look at it. Giovanni beamed at him and pulled another coin out of his ear, seemingly from midair.

Hartley was amazed, and surprisingly quiet.

"Great. We have one kid that can't hear us, or understand us because he can't hear us. And another kid that doesn't speak a word of English, and therefore can't understand us." Mark groaned. "This is just great!"

"What I want to know is where he got the money." Len stated, a small smile twitching at his lips.

Mark paused and then patted his pockets down quickly. "Why that little..."

"Hey hey now. He picked your pocket fair and square. Isn't that so cute?" Mick chuckled. "He truly did start young!"

"Yeah, cute. Wait till he steals YOUR money!" Mark scowled.

"What steal? I'll give him an allowance!" Mick beamed at the children.

"You're not suggesting that we let them both stay this young, are you?" Mark asked, both brows going up in surprise.

"No, no, we're not suggesting anything." Cold assured, holding up a hand. "We're not making any decisions at this time. First, we have to determine what caused this! Then we go from there. I also think we should take a headcount? And since we have at least one returning from the great beyond, we should be on the look out for any more returning to us!"

"Good idea." Mick agreed watching the two children kneeling on the floor.

He wasn't sure what it was that Lil'Trickster was saying to Lil'Piper, but the fact that one couldn't hear the other wasn't deterring him one bit. He was happily babbling away in his own language without pause. Hartley wasn't really speaking so much as making noises in response. LOUD noises at that. But they were pretty much pleased noises as Giovanni did tricks for him. When he ran out of slight of hand tricks, the little boy started to show off by showing him back-bend overs and doing cartwheels. He walked a few steps on his hands, to the awe of the other boy who clapped loudly.

"Looks like they're having fun." Len commented as he joined Mick watching them. "But we need to round them up and get them back to the safe-house. Then you and Mark, try to contact all the other Rogues and their associates. See if anyone else was de-aged or brought back to life as a child."

"Giovanni." Len held out a hand, gesturing in a come here manner. Giovanni looked at him from between his knees, turned upside down, and frowned. "Giovanni?" He pointed at the other boy. "Hartley."

"Hartley." Gio repeated carefully.

Now Len held out both hands and gestured for them to come to him. Hartley frowned and shook his head.

Giovanni reached out and took the other boy's hand, pulling on it. Hartley shook his head again and made a sharp Unnnnnnh noise. Negative even if not fully a formed word. Giovanni put his hands on his hips and pointed at the adults, made a silly face, and stuck his tongue out before laughing. Then he danced in a circle throwing his hands up. He took both Hartley's hands in his own and pulled on them again. "Stammi vicino!" He said with confidence.

Hartley kept looking back and forth between the other boy and the adults, and then at the room he was in. It was in a lot of disrepair. And he had been alone when he'd woken up. He finally, slowly, edged closer to Giovanni and walked with him. Giovanni beamed, puffing himself up and obviously feeling important at this point.

"We're going to need car seats." Mick said in a doubtful tone. "You go ahead and take them to the safe-house. But while looking for others? I'm going to stop by Wal-mart and get some booster seats."

"Good plan. Safer that way." Len agreed, even as he led the little ones to the car outside.

Giovanni climbed in and then patted the seat beside him, smiling while Mark fastened him in. "Grazie!" He chirped at Mark and then repeated it again when he fastened Hartley in.

Hartley's eyes widened as the car took off with them inside. He hit the window and squealed, smiling. He didn't get to go places very often! He bounced in his seat and hit the glass again, his squeal running through Len's head and down his spine. He had a feeling the reason the kid was so loud, was because he just honestly couldn't tell that he was loud to begin with.

Giovanni was used to travel, but seemed to be enjoying it through Hartley's responses. He was pointing things out, and pushing Hartley's head from one side to the other to see it if he missed the first 'point'. Hartley didn't mind, because he was excited to see everything!

By the time they pulled up to where he generally hid the car, it seemed that Hartley had gotten used to the idea of 'going' with them and was trying to enjoy himself. Len helped both boys out, and was surprised when Giovanni grabbed Hartley's hand and ran to the door. Len opened it and was greeted to... sobbing?

A little blonde girl was sitting in the middle of the floor, rubbing her eyes and crying pitifully. Her dress was a yellow-gold, with ruffles toward the bottom. And she was young enough that she was diapered. The other two boys, which Len wasn't sure of their ages, were at least potty trained.

But, as Len approached any horror of the idea of diapers faded completely. "Lisa? Oh! LISA!" He rushed forward and swept her up into his arms.

"Da da da da da..." She babbled, sniffing against his shoulder.

"Oh, Lisa. You're alive!" Len whispered, holding her tightly. "Look at you? You're alive. And so tiny!"

Hartley edged closer, eyes wide and looking at the baby. Wooooow.

Giovanni didn't really care. He'd seen LOTS of babies in his young life. So instead, he just bounced on the couch, up and down, up and down. Then did a flip, landed and flipped again. Sproing sproing sproing.

Lisa tapered off, sniffing as she snuggled against his shoulder. Len reasoned that he probably looked enough like their father that she didn't know any better and therefore wasn't scared. Or, that she just responded well to attention and affection. Which, considering their childhood, was also possible.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, holding his little sister in his arms when he heard the door bang and a loud commotion coming through. "You're not the boss of me!" Someone's small voice was sounding petulant.

"Ow! You little..." Mark bit off, once more. "We found some more!" He called out.

"I's HUNGY!" A little George Harkness called out as he ran into the room, followed by a little blond boy that was skipping happily in front of Mark.

Mark was rubbing his shin, again. "I found Boomerang and Axel." He nodded toward the two boys. "Or, rather they were left for me to find. I'm not sure who is doing this, but it seems they are making sure we're near enough to find them so they don't get hurt."

"HUNGY!" George bellowed again. "FEED ME!"

Axel skipped around and then saw Giovanni bouncing on the couch. Within seconds, he was also bouncing on the couch. One on each side. Hartley stepped closer to George, curious and tilted his head. George backed up a step and then yelled. "FEED ME!" Again.

Hartley just kind of shrugged and went off to bounce on the couch with the other two.

"This, is getting out of hand." Mark ran a hand through his hair while Len stood holding Lil'Lisa.

George decided to take care of it himself, and was rooting through the little apartment fridge by the wall. "EW!" He tossed down something vaguely green and sorted through more boxes. "Hungy." He muttered to himself.

Mick wasn't too far behind Mark as he opened the door. "Okay, in in in..." He prompted. "Inside you go!"

"Who is that?" Mark asked.

"Roy annnnnd..." He paused and then very carefully added. "I have no idea who this is." He admitted as he pointed to the little boy that was watching everyone with wide-eyed wonder.

"This is just great. The Rogues are now Daddy Daycare!" Mark groaned.

Axel and Giovanni had joined hands with Hartley and were bouncing together, higher and higher squealing.

"We're doomed." Mick pronounced. "Utterly, completely, and totally doomed."

As Lisa quietly sighed on Len's shoulder, her eyes closing, Len stroked her back. "Doomed? No. Not at all. I don't confess to know what is going on? But I know we're not doomed. In fact? I think this is the first break we've had in a long long time." He said softly against his sister's soft hair.

George sat down in the middle of the floor with a carton of last night's take out, and fed himself with his fingers. "WEEEEEEEEE!" He squealed, happy as the noodles slipped through his fingers. "WORMS!" He shoved them in his mouth, grinning a toothy smile filled with mischief. "Num num num num..." He made exaggerated noises as he ate.

"Okay, maybe we're a little bit... doomed." Len laughed. "But this kind of doom? I think I can handle."

But even he winced when he heard the lamp break seconds later. "Uh oh!" Giovanni gasped. "Scusi!"

With a sigh, Mick went to get the dustpan. It was going to be an interesting summer. 


	2. boy n a noise with dirt on it

Title: Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it Author: Seftimiu aka Brain Freeze Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make money off of it.  
Warning: It's a kidfic, beware the cuteness and fluff! Notes: Sequel to Kids will be Kids

He felt cramped.

That was the first thing he noticed. He was cramped up.

He didn't open his eyes, instead taking stock of the situation first. He wasn't injured. He wasn't cold. If anything? He was overheated. And not because he wore a parka in the middle of summer. He was in bed. But he wasn't alone.

In fact? There was an elbow in his back, and something on his legs.

Someone, was snoring.

But whomever was snoring, wasn't behind him.

He was in bed with several someones!

He cracked his eye open and was appalled to realize that someone was drooling on his pillow, and it wasn't him!

Little George had stolen his pillow some time in the night and was curled up on it. Next to him, a tanned arm thrown over the top of the other little boy was Wee Roy who was the source of the snoring.

Carefully, Len sat up. As he did so, the elbow that had prodded him awake on accident, revealed that it was attached to Giovanni. The boy was sprawled out on that side, but curled next to him, was Hartley. On the other side of Hartley, was Axel!

Len tried to scoot out of the bed toward the bottom, but found he had to stand up and step out of the bed to do so. Because the unknown and not at all talkative boy was on the foot of the bed with Sam, who was located in the bathroom, asleep in the bathtub later in the evening the night before.

Len stumbled off the bed and onto the floor after carefully stepping over the two at the end of the bed and looked back to witness everyone seeming to converge on the middle by rolling toward the warm spot.

A pile of baby Rogues, his sleepy brain informed him.

He looked toward the crib on the other side of the room and smiled softly at the sleeping baby girl within it. Lisa was asleep on her back, her little fists beside her head. She'd kicked her blanket off some time in the night, and he carefully pulled it over her and tucked her in.

Turning once more toward his shanghaied bed, he shook his head slowly. They'd put the kids down in bed in other parts of the safe-house. Some time during the night, they'd snuck in.

Oh, the wonderful smell of coffee!

Nice and strong. And unbearably hot, no doubt. Because if Heat Wave made it, Len had no doubt he'd have to either put some ice cubes in it, or wait an hour before he could drink it. Ice was the only way to go.

"Morning." Mick greeted, a cup ready for Len as soon as he appeared. "Sleep well?"

By the smirk, Len knew damn well Mick knew where the kids were.

"Little crowded for my taste! Why did they converge on me?" Len tried to tell himself that he was not whining. He was lying to himself.

"You have the biggest bed? I dunno." Mick shrugged, but the way he was smiling? Len could almost hear the words 'better you than me'.

"Heard anything on the news yet?" Len stretched and reached for the freezer, pulling out the ice cube tray.

The radio was playing low, sitting on the counter. The weather was going to be 'hot and sticky' today, with a chance of rain in the afternoon.

"Not yet. But it can't just be happening to us, can it?" Mick shook his head, but looked thoughtful. "What are we going to do with them?"

"No idea. But it isn't like we can call any of their parents. Most of them have died, or the Rogues in question want nothing to do with them." Len watched the ice cube melt in his cup of coffee and frowned. "And I'll be damned before I let anyone else lay hands on Lisa."

"We have eight mini-Rogues, and only three of us are adults watching them." Mick pointed out. "Mark is asleep upstairs, by the way. He stayed up watching CNN, just in case something showed up on the news overnight. Closest he came to hearing anything of interest was that the JLA were 'scrambling' their communications for the next twenty-four hours. They warned the authorities, in case they thought something was amiss." He shrugged.

"Maybe it's happening to them, too?" Len sipped his coffee and rubbed his eyes.

"Sh!" Mick reached over and turned the radio up.

"Reports are filtering in via anonymous sources that--"

"HUNGY!" Georgie bellowed upon entering the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.

"George!" Len sighed, exasperated. "We're trying to hear the news!"

"Hunnnnngy." George pouted as he insisted on climbing into Len's lap.

Len stared, disconcerted at the boy in his lap, but then tried to focus on the news report.

"The Justice League has promised a--"

"Ho fame!" Giovanni announced as he stepped into the kitchen.

Len slumped, and swallowed the curse word that was trying to slip through his lips. "Did you catch any of that?" Len asked Mick.

Mick shook his head just as Axel and Hartley entered. Hartley was holding Axel's hand as they joined Giovanni. "I think they're going to have a press conference, which if that's the case, then maybe that means they're having kids pop up on them too."

"Ho fame!" Giovanni repeated, tugging on Mick's shirt.

"I'm going to venture a guess, and say he's hungry." Len was still looking down at George who was now leaning back against his chest, his eyes closed and dozing.

"We're going to have to go to the store some time today." Mick pulled a pot down from the cabinet and put it on the stove. "The kids are going to need stuff. Like clothes, soap, food, more car-seats, booster seats. I don't even know what else! I'll have to make a list, and maybe rob a bank. For once because I'll need to to pay for all this!"

"We're going to need diapers too." Len prodded George with a finger. The boy shifted to the side and curled up more in his lap, rubbing his head against his chest. Cuddling. "This is just too disturbing." He pronounced before gently putting his arms around the boy.

Giovanni, pouted, arms over his chest and them stomped over, climbing into his lap as well.

"Ohhhhh, jealousy!" Mick sounded amused as he measured out the water to boil.

"What the hell?" Len stared down at Giovanni, who was glaring at George. "Hey now, no fighting." He warned the Italian boy, who while he didn't understand English, still understood tone.

Len put one arm around Gio and the other around George. "How the hell did I end up like this?"

"Well, you're the leader, so, maybe in their little minds that puts you as... you know... head of the household." Mick suggested, pulling out the oatmeal and the sugar and butter.

"Nice way of saying 'father figure'?" Len half asked just as more kids were tumbling into the kitchen.

"Come on, I'm running out of lap!" Len protested as Axel tried to climb between George and Gio. "Mick!"

Mick dried his hands and scooped Axel up in his arms, depositing him on the counter a safe distance from the stove, but still nearby. He gave the boy a mixing spoon and an empty bowl.

As Mick mixed the oatmeal into the bubbling water, stirring it, Axel mimicked his actions with his own bowl and spoon.

BANG BANG BANG BANG

"Hartley!" Len stood up quickly, a kid in each arm before he set them down on their feet. "Hartley!"

The boy was playing, with pots and pans. Banging them together as loud as he could. "HARTLEY!" He called, even though logically, he knew the boy couldn't hear him. He knelt down in front of him and waved his hands, and then put them on top of Hartley's, halting the banging.

"We have to figure out a way of communicating with him." Mick wiggled his finger in his ear. "Does he know any sign language?"

"Do you?" Len snorted.

"Not really, but..."

Len tried to think of anything he knew. Oh! Thank you. He remembered that! He'd seen it on television.

He tried it, and Hartley just tilted his head. "I don't think he knows. His parents probably didn't teach him anything, because that would be admitting defeat or something." Len grimaced.

Len mouthed the word 'thank you' and repeated the sign. Then he smiled and gave a 'thumbs up'. That, Hartley seemed to understand!

Blowing out a slow breath, Len looked up at Mick. "I think we're going to have to learn sign language and get him taught. It's the only way this is going to work out. Look, you feed them, and I'll go hit the Google and see what I can figure out."

Hartley banged on a pot again, and Len winced. "I'll... try to find him something quieter to play with first." He gently picked Hartley up and carried him into the main room.

While on the computer he was also checking various news sources, to see if this was more widespread.

He was almost relieved to read that there were reports coming in from all across the United States of various people of the superhero and supervillian set coming back as children or being de-aged.

The main concentration appeared to be in the midwest, but there was a few concentrated spots in places such as New Jersey and New York. California was also a 'hot-spot'.

He alternated between research on sign language and looking for more information on what the authorities and scientists thought of the situation. By the time Mick came into the living room area to fetch Hartley for breakfast, Len already had a headache.

"Grammar. I have to learn more grammar. Great." Len groaned, rubbing his forehead. "I do good with what I know, in other words, not!"

He watched some videos, showing some simple signs. They'd just have to start out slow, and work their way into more complex stuff later. For now, he needed to make contact with the kid.

Squaring his shoulders, he reminded himself about what the articles and videos said about letting his face be animated, and he went into the kitchen. He smiled down at Hartley, and pulled a chair up beside him. He nibbled his lip and looked at the table, and then at the glass in front of him. He picked it up and drank a sip. Then he put it down and put his hand in the same position as he had to drink from the glass and mimed drinking. "Drink." He said it where all the kids could hear him say it. And then did the sign a few times. He pointed at Hartley.

Smiling, he did the sign a few more times, and then drank from the glass.

Giovanni sat up straight and did the sign quickly, and Len handed him a glass to drink from.

Tentatively, Hartley repeated the sign. Len beamed at him and nodded, this time handing Hartley a glass.

Next, while Mick watched, Len said. "Eat." And put fingers together and acted as though he were putting food in his mouth. "Eat." He repeated the actions and then put a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth.

Giovanni got excited and signed eat and then ate some food.

Hartley nodded and then signed the sign for 'eat'.

Len stood up and picked up a glass, putting water in it. Then he put up three fingers and tapped his chin. "Water." He repeated. He put his fingers in the water and let it drip, then did the sign again.

All of the kids were watching now, and it seemed like a game. So they all, with varying degrees of success gave the signs for eat, drink, and now water.

Next, he pulled out the jug of milk, and poured it into a different glass, held it up for everyone to see and he said. "Milk." He held his hand in an open fist, and then tightened it, as though he were milking a cow. "Milk." Which was technically a c shape going into an s, but for Len's purposes, it looked to him like he was milking the cow. "Milk."

The kids all repeated it and Giovanni chirped "MILK! LATTE!"

"Si." Len nodded. "Si." He at least knew the word for yes in Italian.

He grabbed a banana off the counter, and held his left finger up, and then with his right, he acted like he was peeling his finger down. "Banana!"

That one, they got quickly.

And finally, the last sign he'd learned for the day. He picked up a cookie, showed it around, and then made his hand into a 'c', held his left hand flat, and then mimed using the c-hand to cut out a cookie in the palm of his left hand. "Cookie!"

That got an enthusiastic reply from the kids.

"Now, you have to give them each one!" Mick laughed, and Len couldn't help but chuckle as he opened the bag wider and handed one to each kid.

Lisa was just old enough to give one to, but too young to eat it without squishing it all over her face. Mick stood nearby with a washcloth at the ready.

And he still couldn't stop it from getting into her thin blonde curls.

"We need those diapers." Mick reported as he picked her up out of the high chair that Mark had managed to steal from a restaurant somewhere. Mark had also managed to get a small bag of diapers, but they'd not last the day at this point. It had taken them several tries and more than a few ruined diapers to master the art of getting her into them, and fastened at the same time.

"Diaper wipes and powder as well." Len agreed, taking Lisa from his arms and holding her. "Road trip?" He asked the little baby.

"Ba da ba da bah BOO!" She babbled at him.

"You bet." He agreed, nodding. "Mick? We need to steal ourselves a twelve passenger van."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that." He groaned, shaking his head.

--

"I dunnoooooo." The little boy looked up at the man in front of him.

Robin slowly wiped a hand down his face, and took a deep breath. "Okay, Bruuuuuce? I want you to think back. Do you remember? Seeing the watch?" He asked in the nicest voice he could.

"Uh huhhhh." Lil'Bruce nodded slowly, looking up at the man in the cape.

"Okay. Good. Goooood. I'm glad. Okay, do you remember it being on the table?" Robin asked, bending down so he could look Brucie in the eyes.

"Uh huuuuuhhhhhhhh." Bruce nodded again, putting his hands behind his back and linking them while stretching. With one foot, he scratched the back of his leg.

"Did you pick it up?" Robin asked slowly, smiling as he did so, hoping to convey that he wasn't upset.

"Uh huhhhh." Bruce nodded once more.

"Where, did you put it?" Robin asked, lightly clapping his knees with his hand, making his voice sound 'yay happy excited'.

"I dunnoooooooo!" Bruce told him in the same earnest voice.

Robin swallowed the whimper. "I'm so dead." He rallied himself, and cleared his throat. "Bruce? It is very very very important that I have that watch. It wasn't reallllly a watch." He tried to explain. "Are you sure you don't know where you put it?"

"Mmmm..." Bruce looked up to the ceiling, his big blue eyes focused on some unknown spot. "Yeahhhhhh--Idunnoooooooo!" He assured.

Robin covered his face, and tried to figure out where everything had gone wrong. He was pretty sure it happened when he was asleep. Because, things had been somewhat normal when he laid down. It's just when he got up that things seemed to go whack.

He'd bundled Lil'Bruce up and taken him with the help of Nightwing to the JLA.

They were in a meeting in another room, right at that second. At least, those that were still adult were at the meeting!

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Robin uncovered his face and realized to his horror that Lil'Batman was still able to be as silent as his adult version. Because? He'd slipped out of the room in just a few seconds!

"BRUCE!" He yelled, running through the door and looking up and down the hall.

"I'm so dead!" Robin hissed to himself.

As he started a room by room search, Bruce crawled out from under the table and the cloth that covered it and held up the 'watch'. "I founds it!" He chirped happily. "Wobin?" He looked around. "Woooobin?"

Huh? Wobin was gone! Oh, well.

Maybe he could find someone else to play wif!

Before he could leave the room, the door behind him opened and Wally West set a little blond boy down. "Hey you, where's Robin?"

"I dunnoooooo." Bruce gave his stock answer to everything.

Wally sighed. "Okay, well, you stay here. I suppose we can trust you two here! Barry? You stay with Bruce!" He told him. "Be good!"

"Oooookaaaay!" Barry nodded sweetly.

Wally zipped out the door leaving the two little boys in the room alone.

Barry waited a moment and then turned to Bruce with a huge smile. "Let's go PLAY!"

The two little boys promptly escaped the room.

Surely two little boys couldn't get into trouble in a space station. Right? 


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Dad (n) A wallet with legs

Author: Seftimiu aka Brain Freeze

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make money off of it.

Warning: It's a kidfic, beware the cuteness and fluff!

Notes: Kids will be Kids, Boy (n) a noise with dirt on it,

"Where exactly did you get this..." Len stopped just short of saying monstrosity. But only just barely.

Mark stifled a yawn and leaned against the large van. "Hey, you said twelve passenger. I did you better. It's fifteen passenger. And we own it outright!"

Somewhere underneath the vehicle, on the other side, Mick was doing something mechanical and cursing a blue streak under his breath. Len could hear the sound of a wrench hitting the ground and another muttered curse.

"And how did we afford this?" Len asked the tired Rogue.

"Knocked over about four ATMs after we left here." Mark nodded slowly. "Then headed over to Honest Pa's."

"Honest Pa's? Okay. What's wrong with it?" Len crossed his arms over his chest before glancing to the side to check on the boys who were playing in what constituted the safe-house's 'yard'.

"Well, it's not hot, if that's what you're worried about." Mark snorted. "Too much rust."

"Does it have an engine this time?" Len asked blandly, giving it a narrow look.

"That was only that one time, and it wasn't to us." Mark laughed quietly. "But yeah, I heard about that story too. Nah, Mick and I checked it out before we paid him. It doesn't have heat or air, and he's putting on new brake pads now. It needs an oil change, but that can wait for the day. Needs the turn signal on the left side replaced, and we have a brake light out. We're going to have to replace the hinges on the drivers and passenger side front doors. Till then, just lift up and pull. It'll overheat if you try to go through the drive through, so try not to go through any if you can help it. Unless you know you can get out of there within about eight minutes or you have your freeze gun on you." Mark scratched the back of his head, squinting as he recited everything 'wrong' with the van. "We're going to need new tires, particularly on the right rear. It's a 'willpop', but I think we're good for today. I put some fix-a-flat in it before we left the lot. The others are 'maypops'. Should be fine for a week or two. Oh, and we have no radio."

Len patiently waited as Mark continued. "Lost the rubber thing for the brake fluid, but we made a temp out of some foam. Cut it out and squished it down in there till it was tight. Need some anti-freeze. Try not to lock the driver's side door. No guarantee that you'll get it unlocked again, annnnnd the windshield wipers only work on the driver's side. Oh, and the glove box won't stay shut, so we duct taped it."

"Is there anything that does work on this thing? How much did we pay for this hunk of junk?" Len asked, blinking as Mick shouted something about 'son of a whore' on the other side of the van.

Mark paused, actually thinking about it and then responded with. "All the seat-belts work, and the windows roll down, and I chewed him down to five hundred. It's worth at least that much, believe it or not."

"Sonofhorse!" One of the boys chirped behind him and Len slowly closed his eyes while Mick's eyes widened.

"No, no, don't say things like that. I... didn't mean to." Mick groaned quietly.

"Horse horse horse." Roy chanted happily.

"It could be worse." Mark laughed, amused. "He could be saying it right."

"Yes, horse. Horsies are cool." Mick said with an air of desperation that left both Len and Mark snickering at him.

"Well, let's get this show on the road then." Len sighed to himself. The booster seats they had so far were positioned and they started to gather up children. Some went willingly, some protested. The strange little boy that didn't speak though, wrapped his arms around Mark's shoulders and hugged him as he was settled into his seat.

"Gonna tell me your name yet?" Mark asked as he snapped the belt over the shield.

The little boy gave him a shy smile and shook his head before hiding his eyes with his hands.

"Okay, well, if you start to feel like you want to be called something other than 'hey you', let me know!" He reached over and tweaked his nose lightly. The little boy giggled and hid his eyes again.

George claimed the seat beside 'Unknown' and bounced as Mark finished fastening him in as well. Beside George, Roy settled in, kicking his legs in excitement. Mark patted each boy on the head and grinned as they gave him adoring looks. It was so strange, but not unpleasant to have someone 'look up' to you. It was kind of nice, he had to admit privately. 'Uncle Mark'.

"Turn the key twice." Mick advised as he seated himself in the front passenger seat.

Len sighed heavily and rolled his eyes as he did so. It took a third try before the engine caught. He wasn't really worried about being stranded anywhere, but it was just the 'idea' of it all that bothered him most. They were professional criminals. Rogues. Thieves! And here they were, driving around in a junkmobile.

Pulling into traffic, he tried to ignore the squeals and chatter of the children behind him.

The meeting was not going as planned. The meeting? Wasn't even 'going' at this point!

They had been there for two hours already, and had not made much headway because they were still waiting on Superman to arrive. He'd called three hours beforehand, to tell them to tell the press they'd make a statement later in the day after they'd discussed things among themselves. But as of a few minutes before, he'd still not even shown up. The press was starting to speculate, and that was never good!

Nightwing stood watching out the window, staring at the stars while Wonder Woman struggled with a small wiggling baby. "Shhh shhhh shhh! Donna, please stop crying." She was at the end of her rope. Nightwing could hear it in her voice. But he still could not bring himself to make a move to assist. Part of him was afraid he'd make it worse, somehow!

"Colic. I'm tellin' ya, it's colic." Plastic Man was trying to be entertaining on the other side of the table by turning into various 'toys' for her to look at. But so far, nothing was soothing the baby. "Give her catnip tea. Just a little bit. Get her tooting and burpin' and she'll be fiiiiine!"

"Try the 'football' hold." Flash suggested. "I read about it. You kind of... oh here, let me try." He said, not sure how to describe the hold in general. He'd read it in a book before his children had been born.

He'd just taken Donna into his arms, and was holding her with his hand on her stomach when Superman finally swept into the room, holding a small child in his arms.

"Where have you been?" Wonder Woman asked, and there was a touch of exasperation in her voice. Her hair was lightly tangled, from running her hand through it multiple times as she tried hard to deal with the situation.

"Hospital." Superman's voice nearly cracked in the middle of the word and he cleared his throat as he sat heavily in his seat.

Wally and Nightwing both turned around quickly, looking closer at the bundle in his arms.

A pale face under a mop of unruly red hair peered at them. The child was too thin, and had dark circles under his eyes. As Nightwing listened closer, he could hear a slight wheezing sound. "Who is he? Is he all right?"

Superman stood again, holding the child against his shoulder as he started to pace. His hair was just as tousled as Wonder Woman's, and his face had a strained quality.

"It's Lex." He finally admitted, rubbing his hand up and down the little boy's back.

The small child didn't make any noise, except for the tiny wheezing sound. "He had an asthma attack." Superman explained quickly now. "We were only just now released from the hospital emergency room. They considered keeping him overnight, and I'm wondering if maybe they should have. He's starting to make that sound again. And I can hear that his breathing is getting more difficult."

He gently sat the boy down on the table, and it was then that Plastic Man saw that Superman had a bag over his shoulder. "They let me take this machine with me, but I'm... I'm not sure if it is too soon for another treatment." Superman was skilled in many areas, and he was intelligent as well. But he was not a doctor, and seeing a child turn blue because he couldn't breathe had rattled him. This was not something he could beat into submission, or guilt into complying.

Superman pulled out the discharge papers and looked through them, trying to figure out what he should do next. The staff at the hospital had been confident in his ability to handle the situation simply because of who he was. He wished people wouldn't make that kind of judgment call, because right about now? Superman felt he was the least capable in the world.

"Oh, oh, don't cry. Please don't cry, Lex." Superman waved his hands a moment before taking the little boy back into his arms. "Crying will make it worse... I think... It's going to be all right. I'll take care of you." He promised, rocking him in his arms. He mouthed the words 'I hope' and closed his eyes.

"Do you know what triggers his attacks?" Nightwing asked, trying to find a way to take control of the situation. He'd hoped that when Superman arrived, he'd tell them what was going on and what to do. But he was just as lost as the rest of them!

Donna was crying again, and Wally was gently bouncing her as he walked slowly from one end of the room to another. It was obvious torture for him to walk 'so slow'. Plastic Man turned his hands into rattles and rattled one for Donna and one for Lex.

"I don't know." Superman sounded more helpless than he had in years.

"If it is allergy triggered, perhaps it will subside soon. Very few allergens up here." Nightwing tried to sound comforting, but truly, he was worried as well. He'd never dealt with any asthma issues before. It was one thing when the injured or ill was a bad guy, who was an adult. It was quite another when it was an 'innocent child'. And that was exactly what Lex was at the moment. A scared little boy who had done 'nothing wrong'.

He was scratching over his eye when he heard Oracle in his ear. iThe news reports are starting to make noises about lack of communication from the JLA./i She warned him.

"Superman just got here. Has anyone been able to contact Atlantis?" Nightwing asked.

iYes, they are currently unaffected by whatever it is that is going on./i Oracle told him.

"How is the headcount going?" Nightwing's voice softened slightly as he asked, leaning against the table as Donna sniffled and drifted off to sleep while Wally continued to walk her back and forth around the room. Lex was also sniffling against Superman's neck, his arms looped over the hero's neck.

iDismal, if I'm to be honest. We're certain that whomever or whatever is doing this, is waiting till they know that someone will find them before dropping them off to be found. But it's hard to get an accurate headcount when you never know if it is someone coming back from the dead or someone that is just being de-aged./i Despite the mechanical tone of the voice, there still seemed to be an air of desperation there.

"Just do your best." Nightwing sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Robin stuck his head in the room, and then pulled it out again, shutting the door.

"What the heck was that about?" Wally frowned, looking back at Nightwing.

"I don't know, but it can't be good." Nightwing decided.

The door was barely open again when he saw Robin chasing Bruce and... was that Barry? It was! Nightwing blinked and looked back at Wally. Wally grinned and nodded. "Isn't it great?"

Nightwing wasn't too sure about that. Especially since Barry and Bruce were all yelling 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' and running down the hall away from Robin who looked like a man on a mission.

Barry didn't have super speed? Nightwing was surprised because Robin was actually close to catching them both. "Okay you two, enough is enough." Robin pronounced as he managed to catch them by the waists.

"You're a poop." Barry declared with a petulant tone, crossing his arms over his chest and sulking. He kicked his legs and made disgruntled noises.

Bruce didn't say or do anything. He just went... limp. Passive 'protest'!

"Having problems?" Nightwing asked, arms over his chest.

"Not at all." Robin shifted the children and tried to walk past Nightwing and Flash, back to the room they'd started in.

"He's a poop!" Barry called out to them as they passed. "He's mean! He chases us! He didn't let us play wif the pritty buttons!"

"Pretty... which buttons?" Nightwing followed them. Now, he was concerned! There were important and dangerous buttons!

"Transporter." Robin's curt answer was punctuated by the swish of the door as he set the boys on their feet in the room. "They nearly got it working! I have no idea how the hell-"

"Oooooo you says a swear! Fifdy cents!" Bruce intoned gravely.

"I have no idea how the heck they did it, but they got things warmed up and ready to go!"

"You still has ta pay the swears jaw!" Bruce told Robin sorrowfully. Robin put them down on their feet, and turned back to Nightwing.

"GUMBY!" Bruce yelled in a squeal that caused both Robin and Nightwing to shudder and woke up Donna. Her screeching scream caused their stomachs to drop as she howled her displeasure at being woken once more.

"Gumby Gumby Gumby!" Bruce hurried over to a green form hovering just over the floor. He hugged the startled Martian child and grinned. "GUMBY!" He giggled as the other boy slid out of his arms like putty and then reformed in front of him.

"J'onn? That's J'onn isn't it!" Wally called out over the crying baby. He bounced her gently and moved back into the hall, as the little Martian boy was starting to seem stressed. "Wonder Woman is going to kill me, but..." He disappeared with the baby and returned with his arms free.

"Oh yeah, she's sworn revenge." He reported as he zipped in the doorway.

"Where's Pokey?" Barry asked J'onn.

Bruce meanwhile had reached out and taken J'onn's hand. "We pway now?"

In their heads they heard a small mental 'voice' say, iZhahn Zhownz./i

"I'm Bwuce! Dis is Bawry!" Bruce told him seriously. "We pway now?"

Slowly, J'onn nodded and followed as Bruce pulled on his hand.

"I wouldn't have thought he'd react like that. Batman is always so resistant to 'strange' beings, aliens, and the like." Wally said, curious as he watched the three boys go into a corner to play. Though it was hard to figure what they were playing, exactly.

"That's just it. He's not Batman anymore. He has no preconceived notions about anything." Nightwing was slightly awed by the idea. This was a Bruce Wayne that still giggled, smiled, and wanted to play! A child that wanted hugs and love and to be tucked in at night with a story.

Superman quietly stepped into the room, holding Lex in his arms.

"How is he?" Nightwing asked, leaning closer to listen to the boy's lungs. With the revelation that Bruce was truly a 'child', came the revelation that Lex was also truly a child as well. And that he should react accordingly. His concern was genuine.

"He's still wheezing a little, but it hasn't gotten worse." Superman relayed. "I had him puff on the inhaler they put in the bag with the nebulizer."

Barry ran back to them, though, still without super speed. "You come play too?"

"I don't-" Superman started, but Lex gave him a pleading look and he felt his resolve dwindle. Though, he still worried. "Okay, but... be very very careful with him."

He gently put Lex down and Barry took his hand, walking him back into the corner with Zhahn and Bruce.

"Think he'll be all right?" Nightwing asked still concerned. He could hear the rattling wheeze whenever the boy breathed out. Maybe they should get a doctor up there?

"I have no idea. But we need to figure out what we're going to tell the press." Superman was hesitant. It was clear to Nightwing that he was out of his element, and reacting instead of acting at this point.

Plastic Man's head came around the corner. "You'll be interested to know, the report about Atlantis not being affected? No longer true. Aquababy is currently paddling around goo-gooing at the fishies. And Flashy? You're needed down on the planet. Lil'Bart is doing the superduper aging too fast thing, like before? You need to stabilize him or whatever it was you did to him the first time he got here!"

Wally didn't even answer, he was already through the door and to the transporter.

"This is just going to be one of those days, isn't it?" Robin leaned against the wall.

"I'm thinking it is one of those lives." Nightwing told him blandly as he watched the four little boys in the corner.

"You is tha mommy, and I'm tha daddy, and Zhahn and Lex are tha babies!" Bruce dictated the terms of the game.

"I dun't wanna be tha mommy. Why I gotsta be?" Barry said sourly, arms over his thin chest as he scowled. "I'm not a girrrrrl!"

"Cuz, thas how babies are made. You has a mommy and a daddy, and they do some stuffs and then they go get tha baby at tha hospital." Bruce told them with authority.

"Why? Why not twooooo daddies? Can't they do the same stuff and then go to the hospital and get the baby?" Barry asked, in complete innocence.

"I dunnooooooo." This time, Bruce said it with thought, as though the ultimate answer was indeed extremely important. "Tha two daddies would haf ta live tagether just like a mommy an' a daddy orrrrr tha game don't work right! Maybe theys gotta fill out differn paperwork out ta get tha babies?"

"Girls have cooties anyway." Barry told him with complete seriousness. "We should just be two daddies. We can fill out the other paperwork."

But Bruce was already nodding. "Otay, well, my mommy is a good mommy, but since we don't haf a 'mommy' here, you can be a daddy too! I be a doctor daddy. You wants ta be what?"

"I'm a cop daddy!" Barry told him. "You is a doctor daddy, so you need to take care of Lex lots. An Zhahn needs hugs, cause it ain't easy to be green."

Nightwing bit his lip. Hard.

"Otay, but you haf ta arrest all tha bullies." Bruce informed Barry as he went about hugging Lex and Zhahn, giving them kisses on top of their heads. Lex hadn't really said anything, and looked more confused than before, but he smiled when he got kissed on the top of the head by Bruce.

His daddy didn't kiss him on top of the head like that, so he didn't think Bruce and Barry were playing this game quite right. But, it was still nice. Bruce was doing 'mommy' things, as far as Lex was concerned!

Zhahn looked confused as well, but just like Lex, he was going with whatever it was that Barry and Bruce were deciding on.

"Oreos." Robin whispered. "We need, to get them oreos." He smiled slowly. "And take lots of pictures!"

Nightwing's eyes slowly brightened, a glitter coming into them as he got into the spirit of it. "I'll get the camera. You get the cookies!"

Mwhahahaha! Finally, something good out of this mess!

"Walmart. Is. Evil." Mick pronounced even as he helped unload children. Mark had run off to grab one of the carts that were technically 'three seaters' for children. He pushed it back to them and then ran off for a second, and then a third. "You can never just come in for a 'few things'. You always leave with twice as much as you intended to come in for. It's like... that smiling happy face, rolling back prices, is actually a subliminal mind control device!"

"You're being paranoid, again." Len assured as he belted kids into the oversized cart. "I think we'll be okay if we can find clearance items."

Even having knocked over so many ATM machines, going to Walmart didn't ensure that they'd have any money when they came back out!

Len and Mick each had three boys per cart, and Mark had two. Unnamed and Roy.

Mick's cart was filled with Giovanni, Hartley, and Axel. Len's had the baby carrier attached, with Lisa, as well as George and Sam seated together. Both boys were whispering together and Len felt a moment of near 'fear' at what they might be planning. But then he rationalized that the two boys were too small to cause too much trouble.

They split up, intent on trying to get as much done as possible, as quickly as possible.

Len should have realized that it wasn't the 'kids' that were going to start something.

At first, he didn't really hear it. Wasn't paying attention. And he hadn't expected it. Maybe if Trickster was still an adult, perhaps...

Len was looking over the diapers when he finally noticed what was being broadcast over the intercom system. iCode Mauve. Code Mauve in aisle five./i

That made Len squint because, he doubted that could be a real code... anywhere. He felt his stomach drop just the slightest bit when he realized that despite the 'disguised' voice, it was awful familiar.

He took a deeeeep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe if he ignored it, it would go away.

Five minutes passed in relative bliss before the intercom flared to life again. iWe would like to see Oliver Klozoff at the front desk, please. I repeat, Oliver Klozoff./i

Len rubbed his eyes, counted to ten, and flipped through the rack of little dresses.

Lisa was dozing peacefully in her carseat while George and Sam looked bored.

So far, they'd been pretty well behaved.

iClean up in aisle five. Clean up in aisle five. Someone bring the shovel!/i

Len tightened his hands on the cart and pushed it quickly down the aisles. He wasn't sure where those two goofballs were. But when he found them...

He found Mick first. The problem was, he found Mick... who was by himself.

"Where are the kids?" Len growled.

"I swear, I only turned around a second!" Mick swore, eyes wide as he was frantically pacing the center aisle, looking down each of the offshoots for his three.

"If you and Mark hadn't been playing..." Len let the accusation dangle as he also searched for the missing three kids. "If anything happens to them..."

"We'll find them." Mick swore, even as he practically ran down the aisle.

Mark came around the corner, smiling, until he saw the empty cart in Mick's hands. "You lost them? How did you LOSE them?"

"I turned around for a second! I swear!" Mick looked under a clothing rack, looking for little feet, or something.

"I'll check the bathrooms." Mark pushed his two as quickly as he could.

George though had his own suggestion. "Toys." He told them, kicking his legs.

"We'll look at toys after we find your... um... brothers." Mick frantically crawled on all fours, looking underneath more clothing racks.

"Nuuuuuuu... toys!" George huffed at them.

Sam nodded, and pointed toward the direction that toys would be found. It was amazing, they were children, and couldn't read. They'd never been in this store before as a child. And yet? They knew exactly the direction toys would be found! It was like funky kid-radar!

"In a bit!" Len pushed the cart quickly, looking down an aisle that had cheap jewelry that appealed to twelve year olds.

"Nuuuuu toys!" George squirmed in his seat.

Mick knelt up and grabbed his cart, quickly chasing Len down and then passing him. "LOOK in the toys!"

Len let his head fall back a second and sighed. Of course. D'uh!

But it wasn't precisely the toy section. It was close to it that they found the children! But, it 'kind of' counted.

Hartley, Axel, and Giovanni were staring up at the television console in awe, while Axel and Giovanni randomly pushed buttons on the controls that were fixed in the display so that no one could remove them and steal them.

"Ooooooo..." Hartley's eyes were wide as he watched the little 'cartoon' jump over things as Gio and Axel pushed their buttons. "AHHHHH!" He jumped up and down, waving his arms as a 'bad guy' in the game popped up and tried to eat the little character.

"Merda! MERDA!" Gio's eyes were wide as he twisted his whole body while he stabbed the buttons in horror. He heaved a heavy sigh of relief as his character survived and ran on, Axel's in close pursuit.

Mick's shoulders drooped in relief as he realized they were all right. Len also let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Mark wasn't far behind, as he rolled up with his two.

"You two, finish the shopping. I'll stay here with mine and these three, and keep them busy. Go ahead and leave Roy and... um... Junior... here." Len said of the two still in Mark's cart. "Come back here when you have everything we discussed. And then we'll go back."

The other two men winced quietly, but nodded as they went off to finish the shopping list. He went ahead and unfastened the boys, and they all gathered in front of the small television screen and the game system.

A salesperson sidled up nearby and Len nodded. He held up his finger, pointed at the console, and then held up two fingers. Within minutes, two consoles and eight controllers not to mention memory cards and two copies of the same game were in one of the carts beside Len.

It'd be worth it, for the quiet... well... relative quiet.

Sort of.

He better get to play once in a while too, damn it!

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter title: Fun (n.) Doing things you're not supposed to do.

Series: Kids R Us

Author: Seftimiu aka Brain Freeze

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make money off of it.

Warning: It's a kidfic, beware the cuteness and fluff!

Word count for this part: 5,304

Bart stared at Barry and Barry stared back. Wally had managed to freeze the child's age somewhere around the five year old range and brought him over as soon as he could. Then he had told the kids to "be good" and went to the press conference which was finally getting started in the other room. Once more, Tim was asked to watch the children. While Tim had sighed and thought it would have been better to ask more than one person to help him, he had agreed to do so.

Tim was also attempting to listen in to the press conference because he wanted to know what story Superman was going to tell the press. He knew they were having the magic users check into the situation and had a few suspects. This wasn't the first time someone had played with their ages, after all. Just the first time it had been so random!

Bart glanced over at him to see if he was really watching them or not. "So,thisiskindofboring." The kid pouted. Tim had been weird around him and he had mentally labeled Tim as 'boring' along with the rest of the adults.

"Huh?" Barry frowned and made a face. "What did he say?" He looked at the other children beside him, hoping they caught it. Lex shook his head and the Martian looked like he was getting a headache.

"I dunnooooooo." Bruce shrugged, holding his arms up in complete confusion.

"Weshouldgoplay." Bart decided as he bounced so fast that he blurred.

Barry squinted at the kid. "What?"

"Weshouldplay."

"Huh?" They all intoned together.

"Play!" Bart huffed. Slow. These kids were SLOW! He stomped his foot and ran around the room quickly.

"Whoa." Bruce stared wide eyed. He was impressed. And Alfred thought Ihe/i was hyperactive. "You fast."

"Thefastest!" Bart said proudly, puffing out his chest. "Comeonwhilehe'snotwatching!"

"Huh?" Barry sighed. He was starting to get a headache too. He was too young for headaches!

Bart just grabbed his arm and pulled. The other children followed, leaving Tim alone to try to eavesdrop while they snuck away on tiptoes. The door silently slid closed behind them.

A few minutes later "Not again!" Tim groaned dropping his head into his hands. Nightwing was going to kill him!

"While the situation is startling, it is well in hand. We have suspects and our investigators are looking into ways of reversing or stabilizing the situation." Superman was telling the press. He had combed his hair and to all appearances was the same solid, respectable, and in control hero they all loved and looked to in a crisis. None of the reporters were aware that he'd been flailing not half an hour ago and on the verge of tears. Now he gave them a confident smile and told them that he couldn't give them much information due to it being classified.

Most of the nation was watching this press conference, not because they were affected by this weirdness, but because as always it was fascinating to watch. Though there was at least one group in Missouri that was watching because they too lived the weirdness, as always. If it affected Flash, it tended to affect them too.

On the television screen behind Superman one of the monitors came to life. It was difficult at first to tell what it was showing, and none of the superheroes seemed to take any notice. The press made a noise as one, confused.

"What the hell is that?" Cold mumbled as he watched the television, tilting his head this way and that, trying to make heads or tails of the image on the screen. In his lap Lisa was sleeping peacefully, peaches still smeared on her cheek. He'd washed her as best he could, but he didn't want to get too rough because a sleeping Lisa was a Lisa that was definitely content. Digger was sprawled beside him, passed out as well. Children were scattered everywhere, snoring peacefully. Cold wanted it to stay that way for a while too!

"Dunno." Mick frowned. "Is that, a nose?" He squinted at the television.

"We believe that an intelligent being is controlling…" Superman frowned. It was as though the press was no longer listening to him, and he wasn't used to that. Suddenly, he realized that they were focusing on something behind him. He glanced behind him and visibly startled.

A brown haired boy was pulling back from the camera that was hooked to the monitor. "Ooo, whas dis?" He asked a blond boy beside him. Both boys were kneeling and moving the camera around as judged by the fact that the picture kept shaking.

"Dunno. Sumptin ta eat?" The blond asked. His hair was so blond it was golden. "I'mma hungry!" He whined.

"Nah." A huge eye was now on the monitor as the boy looked into the camera. "I dink sumptin inside. I has TOOLS!" He crowed happily, taking out a toy screwdriver. He also had a toy hammer and was tapping on the lens.

"Oooo Teddy, I dun't dink you should do dat." The blond said as he reached over, trying to stop the other boy.

"Awww, Mikey. You no funsies." Teddy pronounced. "I take it apart and finds out whas inside." He pronounced. "Id'll be neat-o!"

"Uhh… uh…" Superman gestured frantically to the other heroes, and then smoothed his hair down, after once more starting to tousle it into a mess.

"I'm on it!" Wally called out and zipped away to gather Booster and Beetle before they could cause much more damage. The lens already had a new crack in it. The reporters were mumbling and some were tittering in amusement.

"Um, as… as I was saying." Superman glanced behind him to make sure that monitor was off and cleared his throat, wiping at his face for a second before trying to regain his posture. "An intelligence of some kind is apparently controlling who comes back and where they are placed. It would seem that they wish to make sure that the children are found; as you've just seen." He tried to smile at that.

"Tell us something we don't know, idiot." Cold grumbled at the television, even though he was amused to see that they were doing just about as well as they have been. Cold surveyed the room and took note that it was actually a lot cleaner than it had been, because they'd had to make it more kid safe. Oh, it was a mess in that there were toys all over, as well as the fact that the kids themselves seemed to clutter the room. But there was a noticeable absence of the usual beer cans and weapons that usually took up the surfaces in the room.

Flash came back into view on the television, a kid under each arm and whispered into Superman's ear before running off again. Cold noted the tense look on Flash's face, the worried look. He grimaced. Kids probably done something else, eh? He knew the feeling. Of course, Cold often felt that way about his adult Rogues too.

"I'm afraid that this must conclude the press conference. We will continue to supply information as we can. Don't be concerned, we're taking care of the matter." Superman spoke quickly even as he was backing up and hurrying toward the door. Despite how he tried to hurry at a dignified pace and escape, one of the camera's microphones still picked up, "What do you mean you don't know where they are?" Superman hissed as he went through the door, Flash waiting on the other side.

Cold's mouth dropped open and he gave a snort of disbelief. "Okay, so they're doing worse than we are."

Heatwave covered his eyes and groaned. "Kiddy superheroes? And they've lost track of them?" He looked down at the kids that were sacked out on the floor and various surfaces taking a nap. Mick had been putting together toys and reading instructions during the news conference as he'd been doing steadily since they got home earlier. "Maybe we should, I dunno… tag them."

"So we can track them down if they wander off?" Cold raised his brows and surveyed the children as well. "Might be an idea there. Doesn't have to be invasive. Put it on their ankle, like home-arrest. Carry the main device on us, have it set so that if they wander farther than so many feet, it goes off. I think this has potential."

The unnamed blond boy turned in his sleep and rubbed his eyes, speaking in his sleep; a rarity indeed since the boy rarely made any noise at all. "Momma. Momma, I sowwy." He muttered. He whimpered and was beginning to cry in his sleep. Mick and Len shared a look. Len especially could identify with such things as a kid, not that he'd ever admit it.

Mick frowned and reached down, gently picking the child up in his arms and sitting down on the other side of Len so as not to disturb Digger. "Hey kid… what's wrong?" He brushed the kid's hair down.

The child frowned and looked around confused for a moment before snuggling back in against Mick's chest. He shook his head.

"Hey, you got a voice. We just heard it so, use it." Len softly growled.

The kid shook his head hiding his face against Mick's chest then whispering very quietly, he finally said, "Seen. Not heard."

Len pursed his lips. "Well, that explains that." He grumbled to himself because it wasn't unusual really for their generation, a lot of parents subscribed to that belief, though it sucked balls. "Heard the same shit growing up too, not that I ever listened then or now."

"Kiddo, you gotta notice by now, we don't care if you make noise." Mick pet the boy's hair. "Just tell us your name?"

The child, still tired, and confused, cuddled close and finally whispered. "Roscoe."

Len tightened his grip inadvertently on Lisa, a low noise in his throat. But he relaxed his grip when she made a noise of discomfort, waking up with a disgruntled look on her face.

"He's just a kid." Mick gave Len a small warning growl of his own, twisting slightly to the side, away from Len.

"Won't always be." Len muttered a wary eye on the boy that was once more sleeping in Mick's protective grip. Lisa was wiggling, trying to get down. He finally let her get onto the floor and watched as she crawled a few feet to start poking one of the sleeping Roguelets. Sammy muttered in his sleep and turned over, trying to ignore the baby that was trying to wake him.

"Right here, right now, he is." Mick kept his voice low and quiet, watching as Roscoe twitched in his sleep. The boy had fallen asleep in his arms with complete trust. "Whatever went wrong with him as an adult? It ain't happened yet. Maybe, we can stop it from ever happenin'."

Len nodded, but still looked stern, watching Lisa intently regardless.

"You're just an ass." Mick muttered more to himself and Len.

High above the Earth and still rather far away, two Green Lanterns had their hands full. Not with an intergalactic war, and not with any armadas. It wasn't some deadly disease in which they had to get much needed medicine to the natives, nor was it one of those situations where they had to engage in diplomacy… well, not the normal kind, at least. "Hal, settle your ass down." Guy called out.

"WHEEEEEEEEE VOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" The light brown haired boy was jumping up and down. Beside him, the other boy who had already introduced himself as "Johnny" was sniffling in fear. No matter how much Guy and Kyle tried to assure him, the boy refused to believe that the bubbles wouldn't 'pop'.

They were inside a green sphere, being dragged behind the two Green Lanterns. "Hal, you need to stop jumping up and down. You're scaring Johnny again." Kyle used his most reasonable voice, coming up behind the sphere and looking in at them. But even he was becoming more stressed as time passed. Hal had more energy than he usually attributed to Wally!

Guy continued to haul the children while Kyle spoke to the boys, alternating between chastising Hal and comforting John.

"Scaredy cat, scaredy cat. Pblblblblbt" Hal waggled his butt at the other boy.

"I know a little boy that's going to be sent to the corner as soon as we land." Guy called back behind him, the ring carrying his voice to the children and Kyle. "Sit down and stop scaring, Johnny."

"Pblblblblblbt!" Hal blew another raspberry, this time at Guy.

"I knew he was a brat. I just knew it!" Guy told Kyle pointing at Hal. "If I had talked that way to my dad…" He trailed off, grimacing. No, no he wouldn't go there.

"I know. I know." Kyle held up his hands, trying to placate Guy before turning back to the kids. "Maybe we should separate them. I'll fly one and you fly the other." He suggested.

They paused in their flight to separate the kids, being careful not to expose them to space itself. Guy took John while Kyle took charge of Hyper-Hal.

They weren't two minutes into their resumed flight before, "WAHHHHH WAHHHHH!"

"Hal! Hal what's wrong?" Kyle stopped to turn to the boy in his sphere.

Hal tearfully pointed at Johnny and Guy. "I'm scawred." He wibbled and wept pitifully.

"You weren't scared with Johnny. You were actively scaring Johnny." Kyle groaned.

Hal continued to cry.

"Okay, NEW plan… we smoosh them back together in the same sphere." Kyle came up to Guy, still hauling Hal behind him.

"He terrified Johnny with his jumping!" Guy protested, pointing at the boy in his sphere. John had calmed down, though he was still rather frightened at the concept of space flight.

"Yeah well now he's scared to be alone." Kyle explained, pointing back at Hal.

Guy created a wall and banged his head against the construct. Kyle patted him on the shoulder and sighed.

It was going to be a loooong flight to Earth.

"Where could they be? They couldn't have gotten far." Superman was using his vision to try to find the kids and was quickly starting to panic.

Wally was still holding on to Mini-Beetle and Mini-Booster. "I don't know. I left them with Robin and…"

"I only turned around for a minute." Robin swore, almost flailing at this point. "They're usually so loud I don't know how they quietly gave me the slip."

"Because kids are loud until they are sneaky, then they are like ninjas!" Wally frantically yelled. "We've gotta find them. Barry and Bart could be anywhere by now!"

"They couldn't have gotten off the station… could they?" Diana asked worriedly, still holding Donna and patting her absently while swaying.

As one they hurried to the transporter room.

They did.

"Ooooh, J'onnnnnn you is smart." Barry looked around, impressed. "How'd you doooo that?"

ISaw it in their heads. Did what they did backward./i The small Martian boy answered.

"That's neat." Barry looked around, and then frowned. "Where are we?"

"Thisiswherethatguygotme!" Bart zipped around them quickly.

"Huh?" Bruce frowned.

Lex sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "You talk too fast."

"Youguystalkslow." Bart insisted.

"How we go back?" Bruce asked, starting to get a little scared now.

They all frowned. IToo far away to see their minds./i J'onn realized in horror.

Soon, there was sniffling and tears. It always ends in tears.

Mark had been on a diaper and food run when he saw the group of children. At first he hadn't thought anything of it, until he realized one of them was green. Completely green.

He braked hard and put it into reverse. "Oh, CRAP!" He stared in shock at the group.

Putting the car in park, he groaned. What should he do? If he left them, who knows what manner of pervert or jerk could get to them? But if he took them home, who knows what Cold would do to him!

Banging his head against the steering wheel, he finally put it into park and got out. "Hey kids, hi… I'm Mark. I know you're scared, but it will be all right."

"WHAT?" Cold gaped as the new kids were marched into the hideout. "Have you lost your mind? Those are CAPES!"

Lisa began to sniffle, and Cold bounced her on his knee, trying to get her to calm down. "Oh, sweetie, I'm not yelling at you! I'm yelling at your crazy Uncle Markie who has lost his damn MIND!"

"Ohhhh, you said a swears! You gotta pay the swear jar." Bruce told him from where he hid behind Mark's leg. Most of the new kids were hiding behind Mark, except Bart who was zipping around looking at everything and everyone.

"They were on the sidewalk crying. I couldn't just leave them there!" Mark pled his case. "Someone might hurt them! They're just little kids."

"They aren't ours. We gotta put them back." Len groaned. "They're going to go after us if we keep capes."

"I wasn't meaning we 'keep' them. Just kinda… you know… not let them get hurt." Mark said awkwardly.

Lex sneezed and coughed.

Mick went over to him and picked him up. "Lennnnn." He gave him 'eyes'.

"No, we can't keep them." Len insisted.

Lex put his thumb in his mouth and wibbled.

"Lennnnn?" Mick bounced Lex a little, rubbing his back. "Look at him, he needs help. He's congested!"

"Oh, god!" Len sat down heavily and groaned as Digger crawled back into his lap. Seconds later, Bart was pushing his way into his lap as well. Digger and Bart pushed one another for a few seconds. "Hey be careful, Lisa is here too… My lap isn't that big…"

Somehow, all three ended up precariously in his lap.

Len let his head fall backwards. "No. More. Kids!" He warned Mark. "This isn't a daycare!"

Evan stepped inside, a bundle in each of his arms, tiny little cries and cooing from within the blanket. "Hey, look what I found! A TWOFER!"

If looks could kill, Evan would have been a dead man. Oh god, let's not mention Deadman. That was the last thing Len needed too. He closed his eyes, and tried not to think about it too much.

They were trying to coordinate the search. They had a good idea what general area the kids probably landed in, since they had merely just gone back to the point that Wally had left. But when they arrived to start searching, of course the kids had already left the area somehow.

Superman flew above while Wally and Jay searched via the ground. Diana was attempting to quiet Donna once more while standing in the main command center with the remaining adults. So far, they weren't having much luck and the heroes were getting not only frustrated but more fearful.

It didn't help that it was all over the news that they'd lost track of some children and common opinion was that they should be held for endangerment. The police were also complaining because as they put it, they should be assisting in the search. Unfortunately, they were being refused because of the secret identity issue. The situation was reaching a boiling point and the Justice League wasn't looking good.

Clark heard a muffled cry and swooped down, hoping it was one of the children. He was startled though when he found himself in a warehouse confronted with a tube of 'goo'. Inside, was a baby; a baby that had a small mask on his face. "Good lord." He gaped. "Team!" He gave the address, and was soon met by the speedsters.

"What the hell…" Wally walked around the container.

"I don't know. I just…" Clark used his vision to carefully go over the equipment and the baby floating inside the tube.

Jay scratched his head, removing his helmet for a second. "Looks like an artificial womb?" He suggested. "I mean, the way I'd imagine one to look." He shook his head.

At that moment, Clark choked out the name. "Kon?" He put his hands on the tube. "It's Kon!"

When Clark had first met the boy it was after the Doomsday fiasco and the boy had escaped from where he was 'made'. The clone had wanted to 'be' him, and Clark had understandably been wary of the clone. It was made worse when he later found out that the boy was a result of his DNA and Lex Luthor's. They'd never really formed what could be called a real father-son relationship, and was instead like distant cousins at times, but he had finally gifted Kon with a Kryptonian name and his family name of El.

It was different though. As a teenager with attitude, the boy had been… it was just different. Now this was an infant. A baby. A new life. Really? It shouldn't be different. He should have felt like this to see the teenager. He didn't know it then, but he knows it now. He feels like a heel. What the hell is wrong with him? This child is part him, but so was the teenage version. Batman took in pre-teens and teenagers with absolutely no connection to him biologically…

Clark put a hand on the tube. The baby opened his blue eyes, unable to focus and Clark heard the meek little cry once more. Grown in a tube, information downloaded into his brain, and that was no way to grow up. His parents had adopted him, and loved him as their own. Why the hell couldn't he bring himself to do the same?

The baby was full term.

He made his decision. "I'm getting him out. You two keep looking for the others, I'll join you when I have Kon settled at base."

It was amazing that Superman had not been able to hear the children, and really that was a testament mostly to the innovations that they'd made over the years when it came to keeping their safe house actually 'safe'. Never knew if Flash would get it in his head to team up with Superman or some other meta.

The safe house was loud and chaotic. Children were playing in all corners and out in the open. Some sat on the couch, playing the game system while the others played with toys or played imagination games.

The only one not playing was the newfound babies who were somehow sleeping through the noise and little Lex. The babies had finally been identified as Owen and Josh, and they were asleep together in a bassinet while Mick held Lex.

"We need to get him to a doctor." Mick was telling Cold quietly. "His breathing is getting worse."

Cold pursed his lips and frowned. He knew Mick was right. He could hear the boy's ragged breathing as well.

Mark was in the corner tinkering with the gadgets that they had come up with. Cold looked back over at him and asked, "How much longer?"

"I've just about got it. I just gotta make sure they are all on the same frequency and it'll be fine. It's a good thing we already had the basics from past heists with Piper and Trickster as well as home-arrests in the past. It was just a matter of applying it to something uh… non-criminal." Mark laughed quietly.

"Meet them at the clinic when you're done." Cold ordered grimly. "Mick, get the kids ready, you take group two and I'll stay with our group."

But a new problem became apparent as they tried to separate the two groups of children. They wanted to play together. They were all "having fun". One even started demanding a sleep over!

"They have to go home, and Lex needs to get some medicine." Mick tried to explain.

Bruce was latched onto Hartley and James. "Nuuuuuuu, wanna playyyyyy! He teacheded me to rollllllll!" He actually meant a somersault, but he didn't have the right words for it. "And he waves hands and cookies come!"

More like, Hartley signed for them, and a spoiling Mick tended to dispense them every time! And because he shared, that meant everyone got cookies when Hartley signed for them.

No, Bruce wasn't letting go of his two new friends, he had a death grip on them.

Len could already predict there was going to be tears soon. "Okay, okay, how about this… we all go to the clinic. Figure you snotnoses need to be checked anyway, but then, they need to go home and…"

He looked at Mick for help.

"… and we'll try to arrange a playdate!" Mick offered desperately. "You'll get to see your friends again!" He promised.

The yelling of the word 'yay' was deafening for those that could hear.

The clinic was actually a free clinic in a bad section of town. One of the doctors, Samantha Vang, who worked there, lived above it. It was a little known fact among some of the criminal element that if you didn't supply too much information, she'd help you for a fee. The offer wasn't spread around or commonly known because it was mostly Rogues she dealt with. She used the money she got from the crooks to fund the clinic. She felt the new breed of criminal was far more untrustworthy than the old school crooks and thus that is why she stuck to the old school Rogues.

Still, even she was surprised to find a van full of kids arriving on her doorstep with Cold and Heatwave leading the way.

"What the he-ck is going on?" She knew as well as most that there was aging problems going on, but it hadn't occurred to her that it had happened here or with the Rogues.

"We got a whole crew for you to check over, doc. But this one is the one that needs your help. Can't breathe for… crap." Heatwave carried Lex to the woman.

"We need to go downstairs. My equipment is in the clinic itself." Samantha frowned as she listened to the boy's breathing even without benefit of equipment. "How did you get so many? And who are they all?"

"Some are capes." Cold grimaced.

She startled sucking in a breath. "Oh, my god. Did… their names?" She whispered. While police and heroes were not among her favorites due to childhood experiences, she realized the implications would be severe and the repercussions extensive if it became common knowledge the heroes secret identity.

"Well, that's Lex Luthor." Cold nodded to the boy that Mick was still carrying as they all trampled down the stairs sounding like a herd of elephants. "The others…" He sighed. "Okay, yeah, we know their names. Had to have something to call them! And yeah, we know what could be done with those names. But…" He failed to come up for a reason to use.

"We're not going to tell their enemies." Mick finished for him. "We're as- jerks, but not that kind of jerk. We used to have chances all the time to find out who Flash was, and most the time we never bothered. It wasn't sporting. And yeah, it got serious over the last few years. But…"

He looked down at the kids that had begun to play again now that they were in the closed waiting room. Mick shook his head. "They're just kids." He finished weakly. "We used to have standards."

Cold grimaced. He looked down at Lisa in his arms and nodded. "Guess it is time to re-evaluate and re-embrace those standards." He admitted, quietly, not so much reluctantly as he didn't want to admit he'd abandoned them in the first place.

"Well, let me see this little guy first." She decided. "The rest, I'll just give them a general look-see, but I don't think an intense exam is really necessary unless they are complaining." She explained.

"Hey little guy, I'm Doctor Sam. Ohhhh, you don't sound like you feel too good." She said as she took Lex out of Mick's arms. Lex shook his head and his red curls swayed with the motion.

The other children played in a room for 'well checks' and had a supply of toys inside, while she worked on trying to get Lex breathing well. "He needs to have regular breathing treatments. He also needs a place where very few allergens can trigger an attack." She finally explained to the adult Rogues. Lex was quietly napping with a mask on his face while she gave a quick exam to each kid.

She called the men to her after a while. "You might want to…" She pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. "Some of your kids here, they've been physically abused."

Mick and Len growled and started to protest their innocence before she held up her hands. "I'm not saying you two did it. I'm saying… I'm saying it came from before you got them. They're healed way too good for it to have been you guys. It was probably, their parents." She explained quietly. "A couple of them, looks like spankings went too far. Left marks on them on their backs and back legs. But a couple of them, there's marks that well… Digger over there, for example, scar tissue on his feet. That's typical of someone that had their feet stuck in boiling water."

Len made a face, not sure how to even figure out why someone would do that. Sure he'd had the piss beat out of him as a kid. Embarrassed, beaten, and abused mentally, emotionally, and physically. But boiling water on the feet sounded, demented somehow and he said so.

"You'd be surprised how common it is." She pressed her lips together. "It's not always done with water, no, but a lot of abusers try to avoid places that show easily. They like places that can be covered or excused. Cigarette burns are common too. Roscoe looks like he's been switched a lot. All I'm saying is, the kids are doing well right now. They are happy and thriving. But there will be times when they won't be doing that well. You need to be prepared for those times." She warned them.

Len grimaced and shared a look with Mick. "We'll call you, because we might need help." He admitted. After all, they'd never worked their way past their own issues, how would they help a bunch of kids if they started having nightmares or acting out due to their past?

Mark arrived shortly after with the equipment. Len nodded to himself as each of the Justice League's children were outfitted with an ankle bracelet that reminded him of home arrest. A small box was given to the doctor with it explained so she could explain it to the Justice League. The story would be that they stormed her clinic and demanded help. Len had written a note while the children played and Lex was given his treatment.

It was still a battle to separate the two groups of children, even with a promise of another playdate in the future.

They had already pulled away and were tooling down the street when the Justice League arrived to gratefully collect their kids. The note was simple and to the point: ISince you can't keep track of your brats, we made sure you can't fucking lose them again. Don't fuck up again. Don't trust the speedster kid, he's the ringleader. Have Wally contact us later. /i

As Superman read the note, he wasn't sure whether to be angry or grateful. He settled for holding Lex and promising not to lose him again.


End file.
